This application claims the priority of Swiss Application No. 0759/99 filed Apr. 23, 1999, which is incorporated herein by reference.
This invention relates to a conveyor which separately advances and unites the two components of a two-part item.
U.K. Published Patent Application 2,260,742 discloses an apparatus for inserting bottle closures on filled bottles. The bottles are cyclically conveyed by a first conveyor in a group of six. A second, circulating conveyor periodically readies six closures parallel to the first conveyor. The closures are subsequently transferred to six setting heads which place the closures on the bottles. This conventional apparatus is relatively slow because of its intermittent operation.
It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus of the above-outlined type with which two components of items to be subsequently packaged may be united in an efficient manner.
This object and others to become apparent as the specification progresses, are accomplished by the invention, according to which, briefly stated, the apparatus for advancing and uniting first and second components into respective single items, includes a first conveyor for supplying the first components in a series; a feeding device for supplying the second components in a series; a second conveyor adjoining the discharge end of the first conveyor; a plurality of first carriers mounted on the second conveyor for receiving a respective first component from the first conveyor at the discharge end thereof; and a plurality of second carriers mounted on the second conveyor for receiving a respective second component from the feeding device. The second carriers are paired with the respective first carriers for advancing the respective first components and the respective second components together and in alignment with one another; and a device for uniting a first component with a respective second component during advancement of the first and second components by the second conveyor.